Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay up Late! Is an instruction. Show them the cover of. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the bus! The title is another instruction. These sentences are telling you not to do something but instructions also often tell you to do something or how to do something.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Bus Safety Activities With Me

Do you read the story, 'Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus' by Mo Willems? Click the book cover to see a cute YouTube video.
Because it’s a favorite of young children, I thought it would be fun to spice up bus safety with a pigeon. (Bus Safety With a Pigeon Packet)

If you don't read that story, or are just looking for some super-fun bus safety activities, I also made a matching packet with no bird. (Bus Safety Activities).
Listening to lots of rules can become tedious and boring for little ones, but playing a game, doing a center activity, or making a 'flip-the-flap' booklet, helps get the “you need to know this stuff” into a child’s head, in a hands-on way.
Both these packets includes a nice assortment of quick, easy and interesting activities, that help make learning about bus safety super-fun.
Since “National Bus Safety Month” is in October, I do a few of the activities the first few weeks of school, then others later in the fall, which is a nice review.

Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus Game Instructions

You can also plug them in the day before a field trip.
The packet includes:
* 24, “Do” & “Don’t” sorting cards for an independent center game.

There are 12, colorful cards on a one-page pattern to conserve paper and ink.

Simply print, laminate and trim. Children decide if the behavior pictured on the card is a do or don't rule, then place the cards under the correct do/don't header.

You can also pass the cards out to students, then have them show and share their card with the class, explaining the rule on the card.
* To whole-group assess comprehension, I designed a super-fun, Popsicle stick “puppet pal” craftivity.

There's a pigeon one for that packet, and a bus puppet pal in the other packet.

The pigeon is on a red circle for 'Stop! Don't' because of the 'Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus'story.

The flip side of this paddle is a green circle (Green = 'Go! Do'.) Adding a wiggle eye provides the 'finishing touch'.

In the Bus Packet, the puppet pal features a happy & smiling bus on the 'Do!' side, and a bus filled with monsters (!) on the 'Don't' side.

I've included a list of 20+ statements for you to choose from, then read aloud. Students decide whether that statement is a 'Do' or a 'Don't' then flip their paddle accordingly.

My students absolutely LOVE this 'quiz game'. Plus, I can see at a glance who's having difficulty & make corrections.
* Another fun way to reinforce bus rules, is by making a “flip the flap” booklet.

There's a cute pigeon booklet for that packet, and a big bus for the other.

I kept the booklets short, with just 9 pages to choose from, which feature the graphics for some of the most important rules.

Children color the picture, then circle a 'Do' or 'Don't' word to describe what's going on in the graphic.

The pigeon's 'wing cover', flips open to reveal the pages, while the booklet for the bus, is on the 'windshield'.
* There’s also a set of 24, colorful graphic rule posters, which show the various “Do’s & Don’ts”for riding the bus. I printed mine on card stock then laminated.

Use them to introduce bus safety, then hang them on the wall; or... add the cover & last page ('No muss. No fuss.We know the rules for riding the bus!')and make a booklet with a split ring.
* The packet also includes some “paper praise” options: a slap bracelet, a bookmark, and a brag tag necklace, plus a “color me” bus safety certificate.

There are 10 bracelets on a one-page pattern for quick printing. Simply 'slap' a bracelet on a child's wrist with a piece of Scotch tape.

Making a bus safety necklace, provides fine motor practice, which helps strengthen finger muscles.

I cut up colorful plastic straws to use as dividers between pony beads. Both can be purchased at The Dollar Store.

This also practices counting as well as showing a pattern too. Plus studets really enjoy making them.

Hopefully, people will ask children about their necklace, giving them an opportunity to explain some of the bus safety that they learned, once again reinforcing the lesson.

There's also a 'High fives from ________ who knows bus safety' craft in the pigeon packet, which makes a sweet keepsake, as the bird's wing is a child's hand print.

There are two FREEBIES today. Both come from these new packets.

One is the 'Stop-Look and Listen'poster.

The other is the 'Stay Out of the Danger Zone'poster.

In the packets, I've included matching worksheets. I truly believe that if a child colors the danger zone, they are more apt to know what and where it is, then follow that life-saving rule.

Well that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by.

I feel fall in the air, as the lovely breeze is cooler and a sprinkling of leaves are actually turning!

As long as we have to be inside at school, we may as well have lovely fall weather.

'There is a time in the last few days of summer, when the ripeness of autumn fills the air.'- Rudolfo Anaya

Mo Willems always brings a lot of fun to our classroom! His books are entertaining and the kids always have a great time. These highly engaging “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” themed activities are sure to be a hit with your young learners. See below a list of my recommendation. Hope you enjoy!

CHECK OUT THIS GREAT SELECTION:

#1 Pigeon Book Study for ANY Pigeon Series Book by Mo Willems

This pack can be used as a whole class activity or during small group guided reading time. Just copy a pack for each student. You may choose to use pages that best fit your students’ learning abilities.

source: Anita Bremer

#2 Pigeon – Paper Bag Puppet

The pages can be printed on regular copy paper, construction paper or on card stock for extra sturdiness. Once printed, have kids color/paint, cut and glue the puppet pieces together.

source: Cheeky Cherubs

#3 Pigeon Freebie

Check out this freebie for one of my favorite back to school books, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. These activities are perfect for getting little ones excited about reading and writing.

source:
Jonelle Bell A Place Called Kindergarten

#4 Don’t Let the Pigeon…Activity Pack!

This fun 18-page unit is perfect to use when studying Mo Willems or reading “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”.

source:
Kristen Brooks Dankovich

#5 Primary GATE with Caldecott — “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” Mo Willems
Let’s have some fun along with the Pigeon and expand DOK along the way! This lesson will lead your primary GATE students through four challenging activities, culminating in an artistic response showing why they “never get to do anything!” either.

source:
Portable Gifted and Talented

#6 Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Activity Pack & More!

Mo Willems is by far one of my favorite authors! I created this Pigeon pack to enhance our learning while reading the books. Looking for some great math & reading activities to go along with your Mo Willems Pigeon books? This 59-page packet has everything a K-2nd-grade teacher would need to enhance their Mo Willems author study! Pigeon is such an adorable character. My students love reading about him and learning about real pigeons within this unit as well.

source:
Kinder Sparks

#7 Pigeon Needs a Babysitter {A Literature Take-Home Bag}

After reading any (or all!) of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems, you will tell your students that Pigeon cannot be left at school alone at night because he gets into trouble when he isn’t supervised. He needs to have a babysitter and you were wondering if they could help!

source: Foxwell Forest

#8 FREE Writing Activity: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!!

I hope you find this free writing activity useful in your classroom! It pairs with the amazing story “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” by Mo Willems

source: Khrys Greco

#9 Make Your Own Pigeon Books

If your kiddos LOVE Mo Willems as much as mine, you must introduce them to these easy print a go books! There are two 8 page books with puppets. Students create their own stories in the blank speech bubbles. The books are a great addition to any writing center!

source:
Kate in Kinder

#10 Close Read: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

This 95-page unit includes everything you need to engage in transportation themed Close Read. This unit is broken down in an easy to use 5-day lesson plan.

source:
Erin Eberhart Lynch

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Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus Game Instructions